Cancer. Major injuries. The death of a parent. The Vancouver Canucks have been through it all this season.

Yet another key Canucks player was sidelined Tuesday when the club announced that centre J.T. Miller has taken an indefinite leave for personal reasons.

Vancouver responded to the news with a gritty effort against the potent New York Rangers, but ultimately took a 4-3 loss.

B次元官网网址淕uys are going through a lot, but I think that IB次元官网网址檓 really proud of the way we responded tonight, and how we battled and competed,B次元官网网址� captain Quinn Hughes said after the game.

B次元官网网址淎nd I think weB次元官网网址檝e got a really, really tight group B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 going to make us stronger throughout the season. But I think weB次元官网网址檝e just got a great coaching staff, great organization, management. And weB次元官网网址檙e all in this together.B次元官网网址�

The Canucks (9-6-3) announced at training camp that neither all-star goalie Thatcher Demko nor bruising winger Dakota Joshua would be ready to start the season. Joshua, fresh off a career-best season, missed the first 14 games of the campaign as he recovered from treatment for testicular cancer. Demko, who was up for the V茅zina Trophy as one of the leagueB次元官网网址檚 top netminders last year, remains out of the lineup as he deals with a knee injury.

The losses mounted in mid-October when Derek Forbort stepped away following his fatherB次元官网网址檚 death. The defenceman returned for one game, but has missed the last eight with a lower-body injury.

Brock Boeser, who had 40 goals for Vancouver last season, was sidelined on Nov. 7 after being hit in the head by L.A. Kings forward Tanner Jeannot.

B次元官网网址淚 think in one way (the adversity) brings us closer together because, what everyoneB次元官网网址檚 going through, weB次元官网网址檙e always going to have each otherB次元官网网址檚 back. And thereB次元官网网址檚 no difference with the news we got today,B次元官网网址� said centre Elias Pettersson.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e always going to have each otherB次元官网网址檚 backs and whatever happens, weB次元官网网址檙e just going to be there for each other.B次元官网网址�

Forbort and Boeser both skated early on Tuesday morning and Demko has strung some solid practices together, said Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, but when, exactly, the players will return remains unclear.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e gonna have some bodies coming back B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 know whether itB次元官网网址檚 a week, two weeks B次元官网网址� with some all-star people. ThatB次元官网网址檚 going to help,B次元官网网址� Tocchet said. B次元官网网址淏ut in the meantime, some guys are getting some playing time and theyB次元官网网址檙e getting used to this kind of pressure. B次元官网网址� I think that thatB次元官网网址檚 valuable stuff.B次元官网网址�

One Canuck who has seen his role elevated in recent weeks is Kiefer Sherwood, a speedy, punishing winger who has played alongside Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk in recent games with promising results.

Sherwood scored his fifth goal of the season and registered 10 hits on Tuesday.

While VancouverB次元官网网址檚 lines have been thrown in a blender due to the absences, players have done a solid job of maintaining connection across the ice, Sherwood said.

B次元官网网址淚 think it says a lot about the culture. Guys are able to come in and contribute. And I think a lot of the guys that are stepping in right now are playing the right way,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o it doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter whose name is called, as long as theyB次元官网网址檙e ready and ready to contribute. ThatB次元官网网址檚 all we can ask for.B次元官网网址�

BABY WATCH

Canucks winger Conor Garland played Tuesday after missing morning skate due to the impending arrival of his first child.

The new-dad-to-be scored his fifth goal of the season and logged 20 minutes and 58 seconds of ice time.

After getting off the ice, Garland rushed back to his wifeB次元官网网址檚 side.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 gonna probably have a baby here soon,B次元官网网址� Tocchet told reporters after the game. B次元官网网址淲as up at three in the morning, was up again at seven, no sleep. And you know, he was our best player. So what can you say? You love the kid.B次元官网网址�

HOME ICE ADVANTAGE?

Tuesday concluded a six-game homestand where the Canucks went 2-4-0. The teamB次元官网网址檚 record at Rogers Arena fell to 3-5-3.

Vancouver remains one of the leagueB次元官网网址檚 best road squads this season, though, with a 6-1-0 record.